Cigarette distributing holder



G. FONTANA CIGARETTE DISTRIBUTING HOLDER I Feb. 7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1958 Feb. 7, 1961 Filed Feb. 24, 1958 G. FONTANA CIGARETTE DISTRIBUTING HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent CIGARETTE DISTRIBUTING HOLDER Gianpiero Fontana, Piazza S. Babila, Milan, Italy Filed Feb. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 716,971

Claims priority, application Italy Mar. 8, 1957 4 Claims. (Cl. 221-227) The present invention relates to a cigarette-distributing holder. More particularly, the invention relates to a cigarette holder for distributing cigarettes one by one upon depression of a push button.

In accordance with the present invention the cigarette holder comprises a push button returning automatically into its inoperative position and carried by the box-shaped case of the cigarette holder. The case is provided with at least one opening registering with the location of a cigarette. Ejecting means are provided for shifting permanently the end of a cigarette into registry with said opening. Further means actuated by a return of the push button are adapted to urge the cigarette which is located in registry with the opening through the latter and out of the case.

It is of advantage to provide an inner cigarette-carrying case provided preferably near one lateral edge thereof with two openings in opposite relationship in registry with the location of the ends of the extreme cigarette in said inner case. The openings serve respectively for the engagement of the ejecting means with one end of the said extreme cigarette and for the projection of the other end of said cigarette through the opening constituded by a port in the lid of the cigarette holder and registering with the opening in the inner case through which the cigarette is caused to project.

A further feature of my improved cigarette-distributing case consists in providing means for permanently urging the extreme cigarette into registry with the opening through which it may be ejected. The urging means includes a presser blade engaging the other extreme cigarette of the pack of cigarettes carried inside the case. The presser blade is advantageously controlled by the opening and closing movement of the lid, the opening ofwhich allows the introduction of the cigarettes which are to iill the inside of the case, while its closing urges said cigarettes towards the ejecting means through the agency of said presser blade.

In order to more clearly disclose the invention, I will now describe a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings illustrating by way of example said invention. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is an outer perspective view of the cigarettedistributing case.

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-section of said case.

Fig. 3 is a partly sectional elevational view of said case, as seen from the front.

Fig. 4 shows on an enlarged scale and in sectional view a detail of the mechanism inside the case.

The cigarette-distributing holder includes chiefly a case 18 partially covered with a decorative surface coating 18' and provided with a small hinged lid 1 in which is formed a suitably sized port or opening 23 providing for the passage of the cigarette to be urged out of the case. Inside said case there extends an empty space inside which are housed the cigarettes arranged side by side and on the right-hand side of said space, as seen in Fig. 3, is provided a movable presser blade 16 adapted to urge the cigarettes towards the left-hand side of the said space and, more precisely, into registry with the opening 23 formed in the lid 1.

The front wall of the case carries a push member 24 the depression of which provides for the partialA ejection of the cigarettes through the above-mentioned port or opening 23 in the lid.

A kinematic system operatively connected with the lid 1 urges the movable blade 16' towards the left-hand side when said lid is in its closed position. When the lid `1 is in its open position, into which it has been shifted by an upwardly directed movement through the force exerted on the blade 16 is removed and the latter is returned into the extreme right hand positiony so as to clear completely the space within the case provided for housing the cigarettes.

The operation of the cigarette-distributing holder or case of the present invention is as follows:

The holder is refilled after raising the lid 1 by pivoting the latter on its hinges 2 and 3. An extension 4 of the lid is pivotally connected with a lever 5 and causes said lever to execute an upward movement. This causes a reduction of the tension on a spring 6 engaging the lower end of the lever 5. A small projection 7 driven by said lever 5 impinges against a stud or pivot 8 which is adapted to slide vertically and which supports the upper end of the spring 6. Impingernent of the projection 7 against the pivot 8 shifts said pivot upwardly to the extreme end ,of its stroke. The bell crank 9 carrying the pivot 8 is thus urged into rotation around its central point 10. A link 11 connected with said bell crank through the pivot 12 is connected in its turn with the lever 13 through the pivot 14. Thus, the lever 13 is subjected to an -angular movement around a pivot 15 securing it to the case 18, while the blade 16 which is connected to said lever 13 through the pivot 17, the link 16 and the pivot 21 is shifted towards the right-hand side, so as to engage the wall of said case. A lever 19, pivotally secured by a pivot 20 to the case is connected with the blade 16 through said pivot 21 to form with the lever 13 a parallel motion which holds said blade 16' in a constantly vertical position through its transverse movements.

When the blade 16' is thus urged towards the righthand side of the case, the space in which the cigarettes are to be housed is completely cleared, since the blade is then adjacent the wall of said ease. It is then possible to proceed to lill .the case 18 with cigarettes.

Upon closing of the lid 1, its extension 4 pivotally connected ywith the lever 5 makes the latter move downwardly, which tensions the spring 6. The spring 6 consequently pulls the pivot 8 downwardly and subjects the lever system 9, 11, 13, 16 and 19 to a tractional action together with the blade 16 in a manner such that the cigarettes are urged by said blade towards the left-hand side and the cigarette adjacent the case wall 22 furthest from the blade 16 registers With the opening 23 in the lid 1. If the push button 24 is now depressed, the studl 25 rigid with the socket 26 carried by the push button enters the helical groove in the coaxial socket-27 rigid with the lever 28, so as to urge the latter into rotation .around the axis of the socket 27 in an upward direction. The stud 29 located underneath the cigarette adjacent the case Wall 22 is secured to the outer end of the lever 28, so that it assumes, in unison with the latter, an upward movement which engages thus the cigarette registering with it and urges it through the opening 23 and towards the outside of the case by an amount which is proportionalto'the amount of travel of the lever 28.

When the pressure on the push button member-24 isteeef/e721 leased, the cigarette-ejecting means described returns to its starting position under the action of the spring 30, so that the lever 28 rocks freely back into its lower position. The cigarette leaves an empty space beneath hit and remains in its raised position in`which 'it isl held in con'- tact against the case wall'2`2 by theneXt'cigarette.' 'lf the cigarette considered is 'the/last one, it is held between the case wall 22 and the blade 16'.

The length ofthe cigarette Vwhich projects through the opening 23 in the lid 1 andwhich, as mentioned, is proportioual'to the amount of travel o f the lever 28, is suffi# cient to allow an easy taking hold and removal of the cigarette by hand. 'i

' lThe cigarette holder described isy provided in its rear section with two magnetic masses 31such as permanent magnets, which allows the'cigarette holder t'obe supported on any iron-containing body, without requiring any further means for securing or setting it in position. Thisl results in easy handling, for instance, when the cigare-tte ho-lder is to be secured to the instrument panel of `an automobile. v

'The cigarettes are preferably fitted inside an inner case separate from the remainder of the main case containing the blade controlling mechanism (or from an auxiliary case containing same). The pivot 21 carrying the blade extends through an arcuate opening in the inner case wall and/lor in the partition or partitions separating the cigarettes from the mechanism. The inner case is provided with an upper opening in the outer case which is closable by the lid and with a port or opening registering with the port in the lid and facing the ejecting projection 29 to allow operation of the latter.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can f heapplying current knowledge readily adapt it for variout applications without omitting features that,v from the standpoint of prior art, fairly Aconstitute essential characte'ristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A` cigarette-distributing holder, comprising an outer .case provided with a longitudinal opening along one e'dge, an inner case carried inside the outer case, provided with a longitudinal opening registering with the opening inthe case, said inner case being adapted to carry a plurality of cigarettes in side-by-side relationship and the'bottom of said inner case being provided with a port aligned with the location of the extreme cigarette at one ,end-of the plurality of cigarettes in theinner case, a lid hinged to said outer case to one side of the opening therein, adapted to close the latter and provided with a port aligned coaxially with the location of said extreme cigarette at one end of the plurality of cigarettes filling the inner case and through which said extreme cigarette is adapted to project, means urging said plurality of cigarettes towards the first-mentioned eXtreme cigarette ,through a thrust exerted on the extreme cigarette at the other end of the said plurality to shift the first-mentioned estreme cigarette into registry with said port in the lid, meansadapted to control said lastmentioned means, an (arm'pivotally secured to the inside of the outer case, adapted to rock round anaxis perpendicular to the gen- -eral plane of the case and including a transverse 'projection `at its free end and located in registry with the port in the inner' case, a push ybutton onthe outside of the outer case 'carried coaxially with the rotary axis of said arm, apsocket carried `by the push button and adapted to slide along the rotary axs'of the .arm upon depression of :,tlevpus'h button, a stu-d radially carried by said. socket, a member coaxially rigid with the 4arm and provided with a llelial femore engaging .the stud. whereby the depression of the push button produces an angular shifting of the socket and of the arm, a spring urging the socket back into its outer inoperative position with the push button, the shifting of the arm raising its transverse projection to urge through the port in the inner case the first-mentioned extreme cigarette registering therewith through the port in the lid.

2. A cigarette-distributing holder, comprising a at case provided with a longitudinal opening along one edge and adapted to carry a plurality of cigarettes in side-byside relationship with their ends facing Said opening, a lid hinged to said case to one side of the opening, therein, adapted to close the latter and provided with a port aligned coaxially with the location of the extreme cigarette at one end of the plurality of cigarettes filling the case and through which said extreme cigarette is adapted to project, a mechanism carried inside the case and including a projection rigid with the inside of the lid, a rod pivotally connected with saidproje'ction and adapted to move in a plane perpendicular to the open edge of the case, a coil spring one end of which is secured to the free endv of said rod, a stud adapted to slide in parallelism with the location of the axis of a cigarette in the case and to which the other end of the spring is secured, la bell rank carrying said stud at one end, a projection on the rod adapted to impinge against said stud during the movement of said rod produced upon lifting of the lid and said projection thereon to shift the stud upwardly, a link pivotally connected with the second end of said bell crank and a parallel motion constituted by two links having respective ends pivotally connected to two stationary points of the case on a same horizontal line and of which one is pivotally connected to said first-mentioned link and a short link interconnecting the otherends of the parallel motion links, a blade carried by said smaller link and extending normally along the inner side of the case opposed to that nearest the port in the lid, said blade being urged upon depression of the stud against the pressure of the spring and consequent shifting of the bell crank and links away from the last-mentioned side of the case to shift the cigarettes in the case bodily in the same direction and thereby the said extreme cigarette into registry with the port in the lid and means controlled from the outside of the case and uring the first-mentioned extreme cigarette when registering with the port in the lid upwardly, to project same through said port and beyond the latter by a predetermined amount.

3. A cigarette-distributing holder, comprising a flat case provided with a longitudinal opening `along one edge and adapted to carry a plurality of cigarettes in'side-byside relationship with their ends facing said opening, a lid hinged to said case to vone side of the opening therein, adapted vto close the latter and provided with a port aligned coaxially with the location of the extreme cigarette Yat one end of the plurality of Vcigarettes vfillirig'tlie case and through which said extreme cigarette is adapted to project, a mechanism carried inside the case and including a projection rigid with the inside of the lid, aA rod pivotally connectedV with said projection and adapted to move in a plane perpendicular to the open edge ofthe case, a coil spring one end of which is secured to the free end of said rod, a stud adapted to slide in parallelism with the location of the axis of a cigarette in the clase and to which the other end of the spring is secured, `a bell crank carrying said stud at one end, a projection on the rod adapted to impnge said stud during the movement of said rod vproduced upon lifting of the lid and projection thereon 4to shift the stud upwardly, a link pivotally connected with the second end of said bell crank and a parallel motion constituted by two links having respective ends pivotally connected to two stationary points of the case ona same horizontal line and of `which .one is pivotally `comiected to said first-mentioned Short link interconnecting the Other ends 0f the ra'rlle'l testine a Catering' nell ,nineties the from the remainder of the case containing the cigarettes and extending in parallelism with the opening in the case, a blade carried by said short link and extending normally along the inner side of the case opposed to that nearest the port in the lid, said blade being urged upon depression of the stud against the pressure of the spring and consequent shifting of the bell crank and links away from last-mentioned side of the case to shift the cigarettes in the case bodily inthe same direction and thereby said extreme cigarette into registry with the port in the lid and means controlled from the outside of the case and urging the iirst-mentioned extreme cigarettes when registering with the port in the lid upwardly, to project same through said port and beyond the latter by a predetermined amount.

4. A cigarette-distributing holder, comprising an outer case provided with a longitudinal opening along one edge, an inner case carried inside the outer case, provided with a longitudinal opening registering with the opening in the outer case, said inner case being adapted to carry a plurality of cigarettes in side-by-side relationship and the bottom of said inner case being provided with a port aligned with the location of the eXtreme cigarette at one end of the plurality of cigarettes in the inner case, a lid hinged to said outer case to one side of the opening therein, adapted to close the latter and provided with a port aligned coaxially with the location of the said extreme cigarettes at one end of the plurality of cigarettes lling the inner case and through which said extreme cigarette is adapted to project, a mechanism carried inside the outer case and including a projection rigid with the inside of the lid, a rod pivotally connected with said projection and adapted to move in a plane perpendicular to the open edge of the case, a coil spring one end of which is secured to the free end of said rod, a stud adapted to slide in parallelism with the location of the axis of-a cigarette in the case and to which the other end of the spring is secured, a bell crank carrying said stud at one end, a projection on the rod adapted to impinge against said stud during the movement of said rod produced upon lifting of the lid, and projection thereon, to shift the stud upwardly, a link pivotally connected with the second end of said bell crank and a parallel motion constituted by two links having respective ends pivotally connected to two stationary points on a same horizontal line and of which one is pivotally connected to said first-mentioned link and a short link interconnecting the other ends of the parallel motion links, a blade carried by said short link and extending normally along the inner side of the inner case opposed to that nearest the port in the lid, said blade being urged upon depression of the stud against the pressure of the spring and consequent shifting of the bell crank and links away from last-mentioned side of the inner case to shift the cigarettes in the inner case bodily in the same direction and thereby said extreme cigarette into registry with the port in the lid and means controlled from the outside of the cases and urging the iirstmentioned extreme cigarettes when registering with the port `in the lid upwardly, to project same through said port and beyond the latter by a predetermined amount.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 847,828 Sandleben Mar. 19, 1907 1,256,091 Aginley Feb. l2, 1918 2,506,600 Kassovic May 9, 1950 2,519,020 Breitwieser Aug. l5, 1950 y FOREIGN PATENTS 508,809 Great Britain July 6, 1939 448,947 Italy May 30, 1949 

